Conveyorized die casting machine having biasing and ejection apparatus



Oct. 7, 1969 v H. M. CANNER 3,470,940

CONVEYORIZED DIE CASTING MACHINE HAVING BIASING AND EJECTION APPARATUSFiled March 29, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

HERMAN M. CANNER 6 %Wd4a ATTO RNEYS TIM-0'. 2

Oct. 7, 1969 Filed March 29, 1967 W 3 a W M M s a w M y n 4 C N v R A Mm A 3 W A J 2 j Q L E T|M u A l/ H 1. U .i m w l i 4 i 01 F L W 1 B h 7Z Z 6 g .0 ,M 7 A 2 g, E G 2 ll i H a w m K A 5 A w 5 A A a A w a 5 I) MQ 0 m A United States Patent O US. Cl. 164-269 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE In a conveyorized die casting machine, a novel biasing andejection apparatus comprising a fixed die; a transversely advancing andtransversely retracting movable die; and means for so moving the die;and also means for biasing a casting from the fixed die and ejecting itfrom the movable die.

CROSS REFERENCES This application is a continuation-in-part of my priorapplication Ser. No. 402,843, filed Oct. 9, 1964, now Patent No.3,333,628 of Aug. 1, 1967.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Prior art I A prior US. Patent 3,118,196 ofJan. 21, 1964, discloses conveyorized die casting machinery wherein aconveyor carriescasting carriers successively into and out of a diecasting machine.

Field of the invention In this application, there is disclosed aconveyorized die casting machine with particular emphasis upon the novelbiasing and ejection mechanism of the present invention.

SUMMARY A primary object of the present invention is to provide a poweractuated biasing and ejection mechanism, external of the dies, anddirectly operating on a carrier which is transversely and slidablymounted on the conveyor and which carries a casting out of the diecasting machine.

The mechanism biases the casting from the fixed die and ejects it fromthe movable die thereafter.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION The mechanism hereof operates generally as follows:

(1) A casting operation starts with the carrier in contact with the twodies, these being against each other. Casting takes place.

During the casting, great force is exerted on the free end of thecarrier. To resist such force, there is provided a positive blockbetween the mounted end of the carrier and fixed structure, and movableinto and out of blocking position.

(2) The the movable die moves away from the fixed die. With it are movedthe carrier and casting, here positively biased by novel biasing meanslater to be described (3) Then, by means which is conventional and isnot here shown, and acting in the movable die and upon the casting,ejections called primary and secondary take place casting, ejectionscalled primary and secondary take place-to loosen the casting from themovable die.

(4) Then, by novel means here shown, and called trinary ejection means,not incorporated in the dies, and acting upon the carrier, the latterand the casting are moved a distance sufficient to clear allobstructions in the dies for longitudinal transfer.

3,470,940 Patented Oct. 7, 1969 ice (5) Such transfer takes place whilethe dies are separated and readies the machine for closing the dies andfor a next casting operation.

THE DRAWINGS A CONVENTIONAL MACHINE A conventional die casting machine(FIG. 1) includes a die casting apparatus comprising a stationary platen10 mounting a fixed die 12 and a movable platen 14 mounting a movabledie 16. In the casting position, these are held in abutting engagementalong a parting line 18 about a casting carrier 21A including a plate 23mounting a free spud or peg 20 onto whose end the casting is die cast insurrounding and facing die cavities 21 in the dies.

In a conveyorized apparatus, numerous carriers 21A comprising plates 23and pegs 20 are mounted on transverse support and guide plates 24extending transversely between and movably supported and carried bylinks 26 of the diagrammatically shown spaced parallel longitudinallyextending endless conveyor chains by which the pegs 20 and the castingsattached thereto are moved longitudinally as units from between the thenseparated die halves. The chains formed of the links 26 are slidablysupported on parallel spaced rails 30 of a conveyor system and thechains 26 are thus connected by and support and longitudinally move thetransverse plates 24 and the transversely movable slide plates 23 whichslide transversely on plates 24 away from and towards the fixed die 12.Plates 23 and pegs 20 in effect form the casting carriers 21A.

The die casting die set, as is conventional, includes primary andsecondary means such as ejection pins, which are conventional except asto length, and are shown schematically at 34. These operate to engagethe casting directly and loosen the casting and the peg as a unit fromthe movable die 16.

Except for the transversely slidable plates 23 of car-' Novel biasingand trinary ejector mechanism Such mechanism 40 is external of the diesand is mounted above the dies on the stationary platen 10 by anattachment means including mounting plate 42, a bracket plate 44, sidesupport plates 46 and a bottom plate 49, above the dies and extendingtransversely between the stationary platen and the movable platen.

Such mechanism 40 includes a fluid operable power cylinder 50,controlled by external means not shown, and mounted on the bottom plate49 between the side plates 46 and having a piston rod 51 (FIG. 1)operatively attached to a vertically extending control plate 52 (FIG. 3)which projects downwardly through a slot 54 in the bottom plate 49 andis attached to a movable slide block 56 slidably supported fortransverse movement between guides 58.

On the end of rod 51 is an adjustable stop 59 engaged by movable dieplaten 14.

A biasing dog 62 (FIG. 2) is connected to an attachment block 64adjustably keyed in a slot 72 at the other slide block 56.

A trinary ejector dog 68 is connected to an attachment block 70adjustably keyed in a slot 72 at the other end of slide block 56.

Biasing dog 62 has a part or block 63 between the mounted end of peg andfixed structure, slide 56, for acting as a backup block during casting.

Dogs 62 and 68 abut and move, for biasing or trinary ejection, the slideblock 23, transversely moving it and with it the peg 20 and a casting onit as a unit, when the parts 23-20 and the casting are in the die castmachine. Dog 62 moves to the right for biasing the peg 20 from the fixeddie 12. Dog 68 then moves to the left for trinary ejection of peg 20from the movable die 16.

The upper portion of the vertical plate 52 carries an actuating pin 78mounted for engagement with an actuating arm 80 of a limit switch 82which controls the conveyor.

Cylinder 50 is controlled by external means not here shown.

Backup block 63.This provides a positive block between the mounted orupper end of carrier 20 and fixed structure, against which reacts thecasting force, applied to the free or lower end of peg 20.

Operation Biasing-After a casting has been die cast onto the free end ofpeg 20 with the dies in the closed position shown in FIG. 1, the movabledie 16 is moved transversely away from the fixed die 12, retreating fromstop 59 on rod 51. Cylinder 50 moves rod 51, plate 52, and slide 56 tothe left. Thus, peg 20 and a casting on it as a unit are biased from thedie casting position, to move with the movable die 16, away from thefixed die 12 to an ejection position shown at 90.

As the dies open, power cylinder 50 biases rod 51 and moves plate 52 andslide block 56 away from fixed die 12, as much and as permitted bymovement of movable die 16 from stop end 59 of rod 51. Biasing dog 62engages peg carrier 23 and synchronously moves the latter,

with the movable die 16, out of casting position. In such action thepower cylinder 50 acting through its piston 51 operates, not on thecasting nor on the peg 20 but rather on the peg carrier 23, throughparts 52, 56 and 62.

At the end of such biasing movement, the primary and secondary dieejection pins 34, operating directly on the casting in the die cavity,loosen the casting in the die cavity 21 of the movable die 16. Thesepins 34, as is conventional, operate not on the peg 20 nor on carrier 23which mounts peg 20 on the conveyor, but rather operate directly on thecasting itself and only for loosening the casting, shifting the latterout of the die cavity a very short distance just enough for looseningthe casting in the die cavity. This is called primary and secondaryejection. It is conventional and not novel.

Trinary ejecti0n.After the casting is loosened, power cylinder 50 isoperated in the opposite direction by external means not shown toretract piston rod 51 and pull parts 525662-68 away from movable die 16and towards fixed die 12. Trinary ejection block 68 abuts slide 23. Peg20 and the casting are now moved towards the fixed die to clear themovable die 16 and move to a transfer position between the thenseparated dies.

7 When such transfer position is reached, operating pin 78 actuateslimit switch 80 for operation of the conveyor mechanism.

The biasing and trinary ejection movements of the casting are performedby direct thrust of the power actua tion part 51, not upon the casting,but upon the slide block 23, acting through parts 51, 52, 56 and either62 for biasing or 68 for trinary ejection. Such slide 23 carries peg 20and the casting.

This contrasts from loosening of the casting which is done by die pins34 acting directly on the casting, rather than by any thrust on parts 23or 20.

The novel biasing and trinary ejection mechanism, comprising parts40-50-51-52-56 and 62, acting through parts 23 and 20, causes carrier 23and peg 20 and the casting thereon, all as a unit, to be positivelymoved in one direction out of the die cavity 21 in the fixed die alongwith the movable die 16 from the casting position to an ejectionposition. Then the casting is positively displaced or loosened by pins34 a relatively short distance in the opposite direction away from thedie cavity 21 in the movable die to loosen the casting in the movabledie cavity 21. After that, the parts 23-20 and the casting arepositively moved from the primary and secondary ejection position to atrinary ejection position between and clear of the dies by the powermechanism 50-51-52-56 and 68.

Now having described the illustrative embodiment of the invention hereshown, reference should be had to the claims which follow.

I now claim:

1. In a conveyorized die casting machine of the type having a fixed die;a transversely movable die; and a longitudinally extending conveyorprovided with a series of longitudinally spaced casting carriers; andhaving means for properly and with proper index longitudinally movingthe carriers and transversely moving the movable die, first to advancethe movable die transversely away from the fixed die for die opening,thereafter to move a carrier longitudinally into the die space betweenthe then separated dies; then move the movable die transversely towardsthe fixed die' into casting position for casting; then cause a castingto be cast onto the carrier in the facing die cavities; then move themovable die transversely away from the fixed die; then loosen thecasting from the movable die cavity; then transversely move the castingand its carrier as a unit from the movable die and towards thepreviously occupied casting position; then move the casting and itscarrier longitudinally as a unit out of the die casting position; andwherein there are included loosening means comprising ejector pins inthe movable die acting upon the casting directly;

in such machine the improvement comprising power actuated apparatusfixedly mounted external of the dies and acting upon the carrierdirectly for biasing the casting and its carrier as a unit from thefixed die, to move with the movable die away from the fixed die, aftercasting.

2. In a conveyorized die casting machine of the type having a fixed die;a transversely movable die; and a longitudinally extending conveyorprovided with a series of longitudinally spaced casting carriers; andhaving means for properly and with proper index longitudinally movingthe carriers and transversely moving the movable die, first to advancethe movable die transversely away from the fixed die for die opening,thereafter to move a carrier longitudinally into the die space betweenthe then separated dies; then move the movable die transversely towardsthe fixed die into casting position for casting; then cause a casting tobe cast onto the carrier in the facing die cavities; then move themovable die transversely away from the fixed die; then loosen thecasting from the movable die cavity; then transversely move the castingand its carrier as a unit from the movable die and towards thepreviously occupied casting position; then move the casting and itscarrier longitudinally as a unit out of the die casting position; andwherein there are included loosening means comprising ejector pins inthe movable die acting upon the casting directly;

in such machine the improvement comprising a power actuated apparatusfixedly mounted external of the dies and acting upon the carrierdirectly for moving it and a loosened casting thereon as a unit from themovable die, then remote from the fixed die, and ejecting the unit backtowards the fixed die into casting position, ready for longitudinalconveyorized transfer movement of the unit out of the space between thethen separated dies.

3. A machine according to claim 1 wherein said apparatus also acts uponthe carrier directly for moving it and a loosened casting thereon as aunit from the movable die, then remote from the fixed die, and ejectingthe unit back towards the fixed die into casting position, ready forlongitudinal conveyorized transfer movement of the unit out of the spacebetween the then separated dies.

4. A die casting machine according to claim 1 wherein said poweractuated apparatus comprises a fixedly mounted bracket spanning butspaced from an separate of the dies; an actuator thereon; a stopactuated thereby, with said stop being engaged and held by the movabledie during the casting operation so that as the stop is biased away fromthe fixed die by the actuator it moves only as permitted by the movementof the movable die; a slide mounted on said bracket and connected tosaid stop to be moved by and with it away from the fixed die; and abiasing dog on said slide for engaging the mounted end of the castingcarrier and thus biasing it away from the fixed die.

5. A die casting machine according to claim 2 wherein said poweractuated apparatus comprises a fixedly mounted bracket spanning butspaced from and separate of the dies; an actuator thereon; a stopactuated thereby, with said stop being engaged and held by the movabledie during the casting operation so that as the stop is biased away fromthe fixed die by the actuator it moves only as permitted by the movementof the movable die; said actuator also operating to move the stoptowards the fixed die; said actuator also operating to move the stoptowards the fixed die; a slide mounted on said bracket and connected tosaid stop to be moved by and with it away from and towards the fixeddie; and a trinary ejector dog on said slide for engaging the mountedend of the casting carrier after it had moved away from the fixed diewith the movable die and after the casting had become loosened from themovable carrier and thus ejecting it from the movable die.

6. A die casting machine according to claim 3 wherein said poweractuated apparatus comprises a fixedly mounted bracket spanning butspaced from and separate of the dies; an actuator thereon; a stopactuated thereby, with said stop being engaged and held by the movabledie during the casting operation so that as the stop is biased away fromthe fixed die by the actuator it moves only as permitted by the movementof the movable die; said actuator also operating to move the stoptowards the fixed die; a slide mounted on said bracket and connected tosaid stop to be moved by and with it away from and towards the fixeddie; a biasing dog on said slide for engaging the mounted end of thecasting carrier and thus biasing it away from the fixed die, and abinary ejector dog on said slide for engaging the mounted end of thecasting carrier and after the casting had become loosened from themovable carrier and thus ejecting it from the movable die.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,496,131 1/1950 Morin et al.164-113 X 2,581,854 1/1952 Gries et a1. 164131 X 3,118,196 1/1964 Hallet al. l64-262 3,268,961 8/1966 Clark 164-344 FOREIGN PATENTS 244,891 6/1947 Switzerland.

J. SPENCER OVERHOLSER, Primary Examiner R. SPENCER ANNEAR, AssistantExaminer

